Just as it was when Dirk Nowitzki and Kobe Bryant were on court together the last few times, it's always going to be special for the Mavericks' legend when he steps on the floor with LeBron James, as he will do for one of the last times Saturday night.

But in case Nowitzki gets a little caught up in the moment, the No. 6 scorer in NBA history doesn't need to worry. He'll be brought back to earth by a few teammates.

A different vibe for Mavericks after Washington win and before LeBron's appearance

"The guys are killing me that LeBron is going to pass me while I'm still playing," Nowitzki said Friday.

Indeed, those noisy footsteps are gaining by the game on Nowitzki as James, No. 7 on the all-time scoring list and just 1,244 points behind Dirk, continues to close the gap. But as inevitable as that passing may be, it won't take away from one thing.

Nowitzki, 39 and in his 20th season, got James and the Miami Heat in 2011 for the Mavericks' only NBA championship. And that, he says, will always mean more than anything else in his career, especially since the Mavericks had lost to Dwyane Wade and Miami in the 2006 finals.

"We were just happy to get one, honestly," Nowitzki said of the title. "After the '06 debacle, which we always remembered, it was so great to get one for this franchise. And really, it wouldn't have mattered who was in the finals, but it was obviously sweet that it was Miami and a revenge series for us.

"But honestly, I would have taken the Milwaukee Bucks or Brooklyn Nets at this point. We wanted it so bad. I wanted to get one so bad for the franchise and the city. And nobody can ever take that one away from us."

Even through the infamous coughing and wheezing mocking that James, now in his 15th season at age 32, and Wade did during that series as Nowitzki was fighting a high fever, Nowitzki has maintained an appreciation for James, who he said has had to endure difficulties that no other superstars have had.

"What I love mostly about it is how he's handled it," Nowitzki said. "You've been called King since you were 15, 16 years old. That's not good for a lot of kids. But he's handled it with class and worked through everything. I've always been a fan of his and admired his career from afar. Now it seems like he's still playing some of his best ball of his career.

"He's an amazing, amazing player, amazing talent. One of the best that's ever played this game. And one of the best all-around players this league has ever seen in terms of defense, rebounding, playmaking, scoring -- he's got to be up there with the best of them. So just an amazing, amazing talent."

It's somehow appropriate that James and Wade are back together in Cleveland after they won two titles in four seasons in Miami. The Cavaliers are struggling so far this season with a 5-7 record after Thursday's four-point loss in Houston.

The Mavericks and Golden State had a combined 1-5 record when the Warriors visited AAC on Oct. 23. Now the Cavaliers and Mavericks meet with a combined 7-17 mark.

"Cleveland is really, really talented," coach Rick Carlisle said. "LeBron James is really, really great. I feel the fact that the number of times these guys are on the floor together is on the downside. And I always look forward to it. You see this level of greatness only so often with two guys on two different teams. I cherish it whenever it happens."

Nowitzki, by the way, doesn't seem any less enthusiastic about this season than he was coming out of training camp, despite the team's 2-10 start.

He still sees positives and has no intentions of giving up on a season that is nowhere near one-quarter done. In NFL terms, the Mavericks' season would only be two games old.

And as difficult as going against James and the Cavaliers is, it's a great opportunity for the Mavericks, too.

"Especially for our fans, it should be a fun atmosphere -- Saturday night fever," Nowitzki said. "A great team and great players coming in. Hopefully we can build on some of the things we worked on before the [win at] Washington. We got to play one of our best games of the season, especially defensively, if we want to have a chance."